Walk · North Yorkshire

Helmsley Castle to Rievaulx Abbey Full Circuit

Helmsley · YO62 5BJ
Helmsley Rievaulx B1257 River Rye River Rye Plockwoods Bank Wood N 1 MILE © OpenStreetMap contributors
10.6MILES
4h 43mON FOOT
280mCLIMB
CircularSHAPE
The route A-road B-road Lane Track Path Water Woodland
Off-road 85% 15% shares tarmac with cars
Field & moor path 60%Lane & track 25%Road with traffic 15%

Our drawing of the route, over road and path data from OpenStreetMap. It shows where the walk goes and what it goes through. It is not a survey and not a navigation aid — carry OS Explorer on the hill. Off-lead information here is what walkers reported or what signage allows — never our advice. Whether and when a dog is off the lead is the owner’s decision and legal responsibility; keep dogs under control near livestock and follow signs on the day.

Starts at
YO62 5BJ
Directions to the start →

The full 10.6-mile version of the classic, with 280 metres of ascent and about four and three quarter hours of walking, out on the Cleveland Way through woodland and returning by the high field paths above Griff; there is one steep pull out of the Rye valley and the woodland sections stay greasy for weeks after rain. It begins at Helmsley market place and the Cleveland Way car park; do the walk the other way round and you can catch the Moorsbus back from Rievaulx on summer Sundays rather than walking the return leg. Rievaulx Abbey grounds admit dogs on leads and the Rye gives good deep water at Bow Bridge, but a long stretch runs through Duncombe estate pasture with sheep and the high fields above Griff are grazed too.

THE SMALL PRINTLeads on the Duncombe estate pasture, in the abbey grounds and through the Rievaulx village lanes

House rules, decoded

Livestock — leads on
REGION · NORTH YORKSHIRE
GRID · 54.2472, -1.0586
SOURCE · HTTPS://WWW.KOMOOT.COM/SMARTTOUR/E971814235/HELMSLEY-CASTLE-RIEVAULX-ABBEY-LOOP
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